Gerle Creek

Eldorado National Forest

Gerle Creek Campground is nestled on the banks of the Gerle Creek Fork among a lush forest of hardwoods. The area provides lots of opportunity for fishing and water play. Hiking and biking are also popular.

The campground offers single and double-family campsites, many of which are accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are provided and firewood is available for purchase.

Need to Know

Travel Notice: Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.
Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers
Forest Order No. 19-15-01: Prohibits camping for a combined total of no more than 14 days during a calendar year (January-December), forest-wide. Visitors may book campsites annually but the maximum stay may not exceed a total of 14 days each calendar year (January-December).
Motorized boats are not allowed on lake
Please keep boats clean, drained and dry, to avoid transport or introduction of aquatic invasive species
Please Note: One vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee
Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.
Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (1PM) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show as occupied/available online as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.
There is a fee to move from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy
Click here for more information on Eldorado National Forest

Natural Features

Gerle Creek Campground sits at an elevation of 5,300 feet, upstream of Gerle Creek Divide Reservoir. It is on the Georgetown Divide within the Eldorado National Forest. Gerle Creek was named for two brothers who were early settlers and farmers in the region.

Eldorado National Forest boasts over 400 miles of hiking trails, an abundance of lakes and rivers for fishing and swimming, and incredible scenery. The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

Nearby Attractions

Union Valley Reservoir and Loon Lake are within a short drive of the campground, offering additional fishing and boating opportunities.

Recreation

Swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing are some of the fun things to do on the creek. Common fish species include brown and rainbow trout. An accessible fishing dock is located on-site.

The Gerle Creek Interpretive Trail is fully accessible and provides scenic views and interesting displays.

Changes & Cancellations

Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.
Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.
Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below).
Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.
Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).

Contact Information

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ELDORADO CA

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 831-245-6891

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

From Placerville, drive 21 miles east on Highway 50 to the Icehouse Road turnoff. Turn left and go 28 miles north. Take the left fork 3 miles to the campground.

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery

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